1. Field of Invention
This invention is in the field of wraps and blankets specifically for covering a small child when seated in a structure with an obstruction in the crotch area, and blankets and garments for invalids and handicapped persons.
2. Description of Prior Art Young children, particularly infants, are often placed in seating structures of the type having an obstruction which projects upward between the legs of the child. These obstructions primarily serve as a safety function of helping to restrain the child in the device. Said structures include but are not limited to hi-chairs, car seats, baby swings, bounce seats, carriers and strollers.
Ordinary flat blankets are not very effective for use on a child seated in these types of structures because it is difficult to fit an ordinary flat blanket around an obstruction that is in the crotch area. Typically, an ordinary flat blanket has to be bunched up and stuffed around the post in an effort to cover as many parts of the child as possible. However, it is not uncommon for some parts of the child to be uncovered with this approach. Additionally, bunching leaves gaps between the blanket and the structure through which cool air can reach the child. Further, bunched-up blankets fall out of position easily, uncovering the child.
Many structures seat the child in such a way that only a child""s buttocks and upper thighs touch the seat, leaving the lower thighs and lower legs exposed to cold air. An ordinary flat blanket cannot, and is not, intended to cover the back sides of a child""s legs. Kagan U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,164, Apr. 27, 1999, 297/219.12 created a blanket specifically to be used on a child seated where there is an obstruction in the crotch area. Kagan""s invention is in agreement with my bifurcated wrap-around covering in that it offers leg receiving pockets. However, Kagan does not satisfy the need to cover and protect the entire leg. kagan""s pockets only hold the foot and the calf, with the remaining rear leg unprotected. Constructed as shown in FIG. 17 of kagan""s invention, Kagan""s pockets cannot be lengthened to protect the upper leg area. Lengthening would render Kagan""s invention useless for this reason: Once one leg were to be inserted, and the other leg compartment brought behind the obstruction, the opening at the top of the second leg compartment could not be brought down far enough to reach the second foot.
Another undesirable facet of Kagan""s invention is the connecting of the leg compartments. Connecting the leg compartments restricts leg movement. All 51 claims of Kagan""s invention teach to connect the two lower bifurcated blanket sections, involving a fastening means. Failure to connect the two lower sections results in the blanket drooping down, and drooping down with it is the shallow leg pocket, exposing the foot and calf.
The invention of Schneider U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,095, Dec. 12, 1995, 5/482, appears to be close prior art. However it is not a covering blanket; it is a multi-function baby wrap. One is instructed to place the child""s back onto the blanket, wherein one can proceed to wrap the child. With the blanket already on the child, the child would then be placed into a seat. It would be difficult to place Schneider""s blanket onto a child who was already seated. The child would have to be lifted, and much fumbling would have to take place to flatten the blanket beneath the child""s buttocks, and to be able to fasten the leg compartments.
What is needed in the art is a blanket that covers the back side of a child""s legs, which blanket can be placed on a child already seated in a structure where there is a crotch obstruction. This blanket should cover both a child""s torso and all the exposed areas of a child""s legs. Further, being that many children are already sleeping when the climate changes, such a blanket should be constructed in such a manner that when the blanket is placed on a child, or removed from a child, that it can be done without waking the child.
There is a similar problem in covering seated invalids and handicapped persons of all ages. The prior art offers only flat blankets which do not address the problem of covering a person""s legs properly, being that the back area of a person""s legs are exposed when laying a blanket over a person in a wheelchair.
Further needed in the art is a covering blanket that can be placed on an invalid or handicapped person that covers the back side of a user""s legs, without the user having to be lifted. Most ideally would be such a blanket that a user who has use of his arms, can place on himself.
In the field of invalids"" and handicapped-persons"" garments, the prior art does not offer slacks specially constructed to be placed on a user already seated. While the invention of Grassic U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,756, Apr. 10, 1990 is an article of clothing for the handicapped, it would be extremely difficult for a handicapped person to place this garment on himself, especially if paralyzed in the lower extremities and already seated.
What is needed in the art is a covering garment that includes slacks that can easily be placed on a user already seated wherein neither the user nor the user""s legs need to be lifted.
Most ideally would be a slacks garment that""s stylish, either made as a separate clothing item, or part of a multi-piece outfit, or a one-piece garment of slacks with attached torso covering, wherein a user who has use of his arms can dress himself. Toileting would be easier if an invalid or handicapped person were able to dress in this type of garment.
Several Objects of my Invention are
(a) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering blanket for a child seated in a structure having a crotch obstruction, which covering blanket surrounds and protects both legs entirely.
(b) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering blanket that can be applied and removed quickly without having to lift a user nor a user""s legs.
(c) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering blanket for persons seated in wheelchairs, wherein the blanket covers both the front and back of a user""s legs.
(d) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering product that has versatility, that can be used for a covering blanket and also a wrap.
(e) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering garment that includes slacks for invalids and handicapped persons, wherein the slacks can be placed onto the user easily while the user is seated.
(f) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering blanket for invalids and handicapped persons who, if they have use of their arms, can themselves cover the back of their legs as well as the front.
(g) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering garment that includes slacks for invalids and handicapped persons who, if they have use of their arms, can independently dress themselves while seated in a wheelchair.
(h) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering garment, specifically slacks for invalids and handicapped persons who, if they have use of their arms can independently undress themselves when toileting and independently dress themselves after toileting.
(i) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering product that is machine washable and dryable.
(j) to provide a bifurcated wrap-around covering blanket, wrap and garment that require simple sewing, that a novice can make.
Several Advantages of my Bifurcated Wrap-around Covering are That
(a) my bifurcated wrap-around covering solves the problem of shallow pockets from which a user""s foot comes out, as seen in the invention of Kagan 5,897,164. My covering solves this problem by wrapping the legs instead of inserting them.
(b) the leg compartments of my bifurcated wrap-around covering, unlike Kagan""s invention, are separate from one another, allowing freedom of leg movement.
(c) the leg compartments of my bifurcated wrap-around covering are wide, allowing a child to be able to flex his legs within the compartment without restriction, and to be lifted out from the compartments easily.
(d) the circular cut of the rear leg compartment panels surrounds the buttocks, allowing easy placement of my bifurcated wrap-around covering.
(e) my bifurcated wrap-around covering can be placed onto a user, and the user""s legs can be wrapped without having to lift a user nor a user""s legs.
(f) my bifurcated wrap-around covering is versatile in that it can be combined to be a covering blanket and a wrap.
(g) my bifurcated wrap-around covering is useful for persons of all ages.
(h) my bifurcated wrap-around covering solves the problem of being able to cover, without waking, a child who is already asleep seated in a structure having an obstruction in the crotch area.
(i) with my bifurcated wrap-around covering being used as a covering blanket, invalids and handicapped persons who have use of their arms can place the blanket on themselves while seated in a wheelchair.
(j) as a garment, my bifurcated wrap-around covering allows invalids and handicapped persons who have use of their arms to dress and undress themselves while seated in a wheelchair.
(k) as a garment, my bifurcated wrap-around covering allows invalids and handicapped persons to toilet independently by being able to remove the lower garment.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the specification and drawings.